South Carolina is set to host the first Democratic presidential nominating contest in 2028 after a DNC rules committee vote.
The Democratic National Committee’s rules committee voted Friday to recommend South Carolina as the first state in the 2028 presidential nominating calendar. The move settles a monthslong competition between South Carolina and Nevada for the leadoff slot. The new order will place Nevada second and New Hampshire third, followed by New Mexico, Michigan, and Virginia. South Carolina advocates argued that the state’s position honors the party's Black voter base, especially following a Supreme Court decision that impacted the Voting Rights Act. Conversely, Nevada supporters pushed for the top spot to highlight a diverse coalition of Latino, working-class, and Asian American Pacific Islander voters. The decision officially removes Iowa from the early voting window. While New Hampshire may still hold its primary first due to state law, the national party will recognize South Carolina as the first official contest. The full DNC will vote on the proposal at its summer meeting next month. The administration's previous reshuffling of the calendar in 2024 also saw South Carolina move to the front of the line.